^24 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



XXI. — Signal on the Defert of Tialoma. 



On the defert of Tialoma we continued from the 26th of March to the 25th of April, 

 but had little, except the length of the time, to complain of. 



XXII. — Signal on the Defert of Sinafaguan. 



We arrived at the defert of Sinafaguan on the 27th of April, and left it on the 9th 

 of May, the only clear day we had during our flay ; but as we have already mentioned 

 our fufferings on this defert, it will be unnecefTary to repeat them here. 



XXIII. — Signal on the Defert of Bueran. 



We continued on the defert of Bueran from the loth of May to the ifl of Junej 

 but, befides the fmall height of the mountain, the town of Cannar being only two ' 

 leagues diilant from it, we were in want of nothing. The temperature of the air was 

 alfo much more mild than on the other deferts ; befides, we had the great fatisfadion 

 of relieving our folitude by going to hear mafs on Sundays, and other days of precept, 

 in the town. Thefe comforts had, however, feme allay ; for while we continued on 

 this defert, the animals, cottages, and Indians, fufFered three times in a very melancholy 

 manner by tempefls of lightning, which fell on the neighbouring plains ; ail thofe coun- 

 tries, efpecially the defert of Burgay, which borders on that of Bueran, being fubjed to 

 terrible ftorms. 



XXIV. — Signal on the Defert of Yafuay. 



Our obfervations at the fignal of Yafuay were not finifhed till the 1 6th of July ; th^e 

 being a neceflity, before we could conclude them, to pitch on the mofl convenient place . 

 for meafuring a fecond bafe, in order to prove the accuracy of all the preceding geome- 

 trical operations ; and, after fixing on a proper fpot, to determine where the fignals 

 between Yafuay and the bafe could be moll properly placed. In order to this, we went 

 to Cuenca, and from thence proceeded to the plains of Talqui and los Bannos. At laft 

 it was determined that the bale' fhould be meafured in the former, by which the refult 

 of the triangles was to be verified by my company, and that of the other in the plain of 

 Los Bannos. The requifite fignals alfo were ereded ; ancj we returned to the defert of 

 Yafuay, where we continued our obfervations, which employed us from the 7th to the 

 i5th of July. Though this mountain is one of the higheit in the whole territory of 

 Cuenca, and the afcent fo fteep that there is no going up but on foot, nor even by that 

 method without great labour, yet the cold is far from being fo intolerable as on Sina- 

 faguan and the deferts north of that mountain. So that we cheerfully fupported the 

 inconveniences of this flation. 



XXV. — Signal on the Mountain of Borma. 



This mountain is but low, as are all the others in the neighbourhood of Cuenca, fo 

 that here we were not impeded by any cloudy fummits. It was alfo our good fortune 

 that Yafuay, contrary to our apprehenfions, was clear and vifible the whole 19th of 

 July ; fo that we finiflied our obfervations in two days agreeably. 



XXVI. 



